On Saturday at Turfway Park, the featured race is the 20th edition of the $60,000 Prairie Bayou Stakes. Scheduled to be run at a mile and a sixteenth on their synthetic main track, the race has drawn a field of eleven.
Grade 1 winner Joha has been named the morning line favorite at odds of 3-1 and is one of three horses entered for trainer Michael Maker. The four-year-old son of Johar is winless from eight starts this year and has only managed to hit the board once. He turned in his best performance of the year last time out with a runner-up effort against allowance company at Churchill Downs. Deshawn Parker will be aboard for the first time this year and they will break from post three.
Second choice at 4-1 on the morning line is Cerro (IRE), a stakes winning son of Mr. Greeley trained by Dane Kobiskie. The four-year-old gelding has been on the board in six of his eight starts this year with three wins to his credit and has won a total of six of his nineteen career starts. He was last seen finishing third after setting the pace in the Jewel Stakes at Gulfstream. Regular rider Cecily Evans will be in the irons and they will break from post two.
Also in the field and a longshot at 12-1 on the morning line is Set the Sail. Trained by Charles Lopresti, the five-year-old gelded son of Mizzen Mast has won five times over the course of his career and will be trying to earn his first stakes victory. He was last seen finishing fourth against optional claiming competition and has hit the board once from seven starts this year. Jon Court has retained the mount and they will break from the rail.
The Grade 2 $1.25 million Pennsylvania Derby features the two biggest names from the Triple Crown trail September 24 at Parx as a field of 12 gathers in one of the most intriguing betting races of the year.
The $1 million Cotillion Stakes September 24 at Parx features a true clash of the titans as the six-horse field is headlined by the undefeated, five-time grade 1 winner Songbird who figures to face the most stern challenge of her career.
In a completely wide open renewal of the Presque Isle Mile September 18 at Presque Isle Downs, 13 runners including the also-eligible will contest the eight furlong trip over synthetic footing.
Champion Songbird is set to make her much-anticipated return to the races in the $200,000 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita on Saturday. The Grade 2 event will be run at a mile and a sixteenth and has attracted a field of seven.
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